BLOOMFIELD, NJ -- After one of the closest first quarters his team has played all season, Bloomfield Bengals junior Richie Guillaume scored 19 points en route to a 55-39 victory over the North 13th Street Tech Cougars Thursday night.

The Bengals improved to (13-2, 6-2 SEC) with the home court win, while their opponent fell to (1-11, 0-8 SEC).

After the visitors edged the home team for much of the first quarter, the Bengals took a 16-10 advantage at the end of the eight minutes.

“You got to give North 13th Street a lot of credit,” Bengals Head Coach Patrick Brunner said. “They played well.”

In the second quarter, the Bengals slacked on offense, but played well defensively – scoring eight points and only allowing four.

After a 21-14 advantage at halftime, the Bengals allowed the Newark boys to get as close as six points behind, but were able to significantly increase the scoring margin by the end of the game.

Brunner added that the 57-43 defeat over the Cougars on December 20 was also one in which his team needed to push themselves to win.

“I think it was a victim of us coming off a couple tough days in a row and not all being mentally there today,” the coach told TAPinto Bloomfield.

Two days earlier, the Bengals recorded their second loss of the season when the Verona Hillbillies beat them by just three points.

In addition to Guillaume’s 19 points, the 6’0 junior gave his team five rebounds, four steals and two assists.

Senior Myles Toppin and junior Kyle Barrow contributed another nine points each. Toppin added five rebounds, four steals and two assists, while another three rebounds, two steals and two assists came from Barrow.

Junior Mayowa Akindebe recorded eight points, four rebounds, one steal and one assist for the Bengals.

Junior Amyr Sommers paced the Cougars with 13 points and 13 rebounds. His teammate A Doukoule contributed another 11 points and five rebounds.

The Bengals will return to the court Tuesday to take on the (7-3, 5-1 SEC) Barringer Blue Bears. The boys will tip off at 7 PM.

TAPintoBloomfield.netis an online newspaper serving the Township of Bloomfield. TAPinto Bloomfield is the only locally owned news organization in the township. TAPinto Bloomfield is accredited by the New Jersey Press Association. Sign up for our FREE daily eNewsand follow us onFacebookand Twitter@BloomfieldTAP.

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